1990 - 09-04-90 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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EOOk 13 pn'[ "3i contracts. The Attorney has requested a rate i7rcrease from $45.00 per hour to $60.00 per hour which is the maximum rate currently reimbursable under State regulations. Commissioner Dossenbach advised that the Social Services Board has approved the contract. Commissioner Dossenbach moved that the contract be approved. Commissioner Matthews seconded the motion and upon a vote the results were as follows: Aye: Cox, Dossenbach, Matthews, Stafford and Wicker Nay: None The Chairman ruled the motion carried unanimously. Mr. Gunderson then presented a Resolution concerning the Alexander vs Flaherty Settlement Agreement. Commissioner Dossenbach moved for adoption of the following resolution: To all who shall see these PRESENTS and in the future hear these presentations, let it be known that the Department of Social Services of Lee County, its staff, the Lee County Board of Social Services and the Lee County Board of Commissioners, join with their peers from the other counties of the state in this resolution. Let it be known that the undersigned do hereby subscribe to the theory that the ALEXANDER VS. FLAHERTY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT and the previous related ALEXANDER Court Orders and Settlement Agreement have placed unobtainable demands on the professional staff of Social Services; thereby placing undue pressure on the service providers which in turn creates a hardship on Lee County citizens who need assistance. BELIEVING that the SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT and various previous court orders have placed upon counties procedural and policy requirements that exceed the requirements of federal regulation and law; and BELIEVING that the SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT prevents staff from advising applicants on various application options beneficial to the applicant lest they be accused of discouragement; and BELIEVING that program policies derived from Alexander vs. Flaherty Court Orders, consent judgements and settlement agreements have taken the caring human element out of serving Lee County citizens and in fact, have caused the application process to be cumbersome and inefficient; and BELIEVING that the penalty/sanction arrangement of having the County pay 100% of levied fines and sanctions when the State supervises counties, the State writes and interprets program policy for county staff, the State is responsible for training county staff on program policies, the State has failed to set minimum caseload sizes and when the State provides little funding for public assistance administrative costs is unfair; and 3